tubifex/blood/black (worms)???which is which????

[ReeferKimberly]

help, i'm feeding my discus worms. i don't wanna get any parasites so i need some info on which is which. ??? i have darkish brown worms that are sold by the once. they are in a half inch of water in my fridge. i'm not sure what the diff is between tubifex and blood (the bad ones i guess). i've been feeding these same live worms to my other fish for years but i just started with discus. i hate feeding frozen food of any kind. i don't know why, its just me (i hate the idea of the dead stuff in my tank). i live in california but i dought these are the famous black worms. pictures would help a grea deal. plus info on the individual worm types. i'm getting worried after reading all these post bout worm dangers. i get them from my lfs and i think they may raise them there but i'm not sure. they feed them to there own discus and also breed and sell only their own fish. no problems that i have ever seen from the store (its very reputable).
thanks a bunch!
~kim~

Kim,
Blood worms are red. The Harkai frozen bloodworms are sterlized and have vit c added. Blackworms can come in various lenghts. You should ask your LFS what type of worms they are selling. If you want lots of growth Blackworms are the way to go. Put keep in mind you should be feeding a well balanced diet to keep your fish healthy.

HTH
Miles

[ReeferKimberly]

where can i find black worms? i looked on the site in the black worm banner but i do not need even the smallest quantity they sell. i use about 1 once of worms every 1-2 weeks. i have only six medium discus at the moment and will be breeding them in the future but presently 1/2lb of black worms would just rot. i think what i feed now must be tubifex worms. are these ok to feed? i know they are not the best but will they be ok (better then flake food at least).\
thank u
~kim~

[ReeferKimberly]

oh and btw, i'm gonna go make a bh mixture in about a day or two after i get to the store. does anyone feed hamburger with other good stuff added to it (like silversides and veggies)? if so, do u cook it or leave it raw...maybe this should go in the food section but oh well.
thankz again
~kim~

[Ardan]

Hi,
IMO if you are feeding tubifex your fish WILL get parasites. They are raised in sewage usually.

I have used blackworms for almost a year (from Aquatic foods)(when I used them from a different source it seems I always had problems)

I feed 2 times per day. I feed one teaspoon full each time. I have 8 discus. The worms last over 2 months ( one whole pound). With rinsing daily with dechlorinated cold water (from the fridge), and keeping the worms in a fridge, the worms stay in great shape.

the fish love them and grow well.

hth
Ardan

[Aquarius]

I have feed freeze dried and frozon Tubfux for over 1 1/2 years with out problems.

Of couse, IMO any tank will have some form/type of parasite/bacteria as it is just part of nature...

Of course, unless you live in a bubble :)

-steve

[ReeferKimberly]

how come all other fish are fine with them except discus? iv'e been feeding these same worms to my fish for over 7 years and have never ever had a single problem. iv'e had every type of fresh fish from guppies to angels to malawis to now discus. i thought the blood worms were the bad ones and tubifex were ok. my lfs raisies them on their own so shouldn't they be ok (b/c they are in a clean area w/no yucky stuff). i can't order black worms b/c i don't have a credit card (i'm only 16) and my parents say the internet is "evil" and wont let me buy something off it. so i'm gonna go ahead and make a beefheart recipe. everyone says these worms will hurt my discus but has anyone here had problems with them? the ones i'm feeding are from a clean environment and not cultured in sewage and bacteria. so unless i find black worms in a store sometime soon these worms will probly stay the staple, along with bh and brine shrimp. was mainly worried about them being blood worms but now i'm sure they are tubifex. i guess i'll risk it....
~kim~

[ReeferKimberly]

ok help me out. does IMO mean "in my opinion"?

[Ardan]

Hi,
Yes IMO means "in my opinion"

Live foods are great for fish for growth and getting them ready to reproduce.
I guess if you have no problems with the worms you are using and it is all you can get, then by all means its up to you if you want to use them.

All live foods carry some risk of something. Its just a matter of the amount of risk they carry and the amount of risk we take.

Best of luck. Hope all goes well for you. :thumbsup:

Ardan